Feb. 26, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- Anthony Gomez hit a slow rolling fielder's choice, scoring Mike Yastrzemski from third to give No. 3-ranked Vanderbilt (7-0) the series and an 8-7 victory over visiting No. 8-ranked Stanford (3-3) on Saturday afternoon.
Kenny Diekroeger drove in two and gave Stanford a 7-4 lead in the fifth, one of a carer-best four hits for the Cardinal shortstop. The Cardinal finished with 17 hits. Vandy countered with 13 as both teams combined to leave 24 men on base.
Gomez' fielder's choice off of Stanford's fifth pitcher of the day, A.J. Vanegas, gave Vandy the eighth inning lead as Scott Snodgress (1-1) took the loss, giving up the lead off hit to Yastrzemski.
Snodgress went 1.1 innings, while Mark Lamm (2-0) pitched two shutout innings for the win. Navery Moore got his second save of the series with a scoreless ninth.
Second baseman Eric Smith's second error of the day, extended the sixth and allowed the tying two runs to score and make it 7-7 on a two-run RBI double from Jason Esposito after Stanford took its second lead of the day.
Diekroeger added to the lead with his fourth single, a two-run, two-out hit to center to make it 7-4 in the fifth. Diekroeger's third single, tied the game at 4-4, before a high-chopping Stephen Piscotty RBI single over third made it 5-4 in the fourth as both starters exited early.
Commodore starter Taylor Hill gave up the first five runs in three-plus innings, walking all three of his batters in the first as Stanford took a 3-0 lead. Dean McArdle lasted just 1.1 innings, giving up single runs in the first and second, before leaving with the bases loaded in the second.
Vandy scored runs in each of the first three innings to lead 4-3 as Conrad Gregor broke the tie with an RBI single, his second RBI of the day. Danny Sandbrink after an inning-ending double play in the second, gave up two runs in the third to give Vandy the lead. Sandbrink gave up four runs (three earned) over 4.1 innings, prior to Snodgress giving up the final two.
Stanford batted around in the first to take a 3-0 lead. A bases loaded fielder's choice, followed by an RBI single from Ben Clowe and a bases loaded walk to Austin Wilson put Stanford on top.
NOTES: Sunday's game time has been moved up to 10:30 a.m. PT... game time temperature was 53 degrees, about 14 degrees warmer than Friday night... Jake Stewart's leadoff single in the first extended his hit streak to the first six games... it was Diekroeger's first four-hit game in his career... it was the second time this season catcher Zach Jones had thrown out two this season. He also threw out two against Cal on Tuesday.